week 19

This week we found ourselves knocking doors... for hours.... and NO ONE would answer. It was primetime on a Sunday night.... it was strange.

 

But then we get to this house and a man opens up and knows EXACTLY who we are and has been dying to learn more about the church. His name is John. We were pumped.

 

He then proceeded to tell us all about how he has been to Salt Lake to the family history center and how grateful he is for everything the church has for free, that he can use to locate his family. The building we attend has a family history center in it, and he has been many times to work on his family tree. We have a lovely conversation and set up a return appointment.

 

We go back and have the most amazing lesson of our lives. I can't even explain it. We had planned to teach him the restoration, but he knows so much about the church already that we spent the majority of the time talking about the Holy Ghost and the Book of Mormon only. He is beyond prepared. The following are quotes from him during the lesson, I kid you not:

 

"I've watched a lot of BYU devotionals, and I've never been so touched in my life. I mean I've heard a lot of preachers and pastors, but there is just something special about those people. They make me cry every time!"

 

"Mormons are just so happpy! And I can't figure out why. But I want to be like that! I want to be just as forgiving as they are"

"Is the Holy Ghost that little voice I hear in my head, guiding me?"

as he's explaining how he got a Book of Mormon, "I just saw a pile of them at your building when I went to do family history work, and I took it as my invitation to take it and read it!"

 

"I know what you're getting at! You want me to read the Book of Mormon and listen to the Holy Ghost! Hmmm I can do that!"

 

He is incredible. But has been out of town for a couple days now. We are so excited to teach him again this week.The Lord truly does prepared hearts, and John is a perfect example of just that. Pray for him?

 

Love you all!

Sister Mal

I had to ride my bike for a solid 2-3 miles like this for exchanges. 

the CUTEST kids in the ward that took us around to all their neighbors... they literally went tracting with us for an hour. so we let them wear our badges for a minute. they both said, "we want to serve missions, but only for 3 years"

cheers to forever 21 cheap jewelry... i sweat so much that my neck turns green. youre welcome for that visual.

hurricane money party.... you get REALLY weird looks when you ask for 80 bucks in 5s and 1s.... ooops. 

memorial day lasagna and watermelon with the other sisters (also no other apartment in the mission looks like this-- a member gave them old furniture and so their apartment is SUPER nice)

i've never looked so attractive in my life.... we get caught in storms almost daily. thanks florida.

That time we accidentally got stuck on either side of the gate. 

week 18

hi! 

for like two seconds! we had 10 minutes to get on today and print off emails. I wrote you a letter yesterday so you should get it later this week. It explains more about the call yesterday. 

 

all is well, life is good! 

 

I'll talk to you all next week! 

 

Love you!

Sister Mal

go big at President's house for dessert!

don't worry- sister olson cut it yesterday :)

week 17

the bridge we walk on most days to get out of our neighborhood... isn't it lovely?! the green here is like a brighter version of home

honks.

 

whistles.

 

"do you need a ride?" 

 

*wink*

 

seriously. people are frightening somedays. 

 

My point in all of this is not to say we have creepy men hitting on us all day (although we sometimes do), but rather to say that whoever says Satan disappears for missionaries, is wrong. Very very wrong. 

 

There are times in our life when a choice is placed before us and the line is clear. Good and bad. The decision is made easy and you don't even think twice about it.

 

But more often than not, that's not how Satan works. He's clever and he knows our weak points. He knows how to make us feel discouaged or how to make the sun feel ten times hotter than it actually is (or so I like to think). This week Sister Olson and I discovered that we had let the advesary get to us. One day during studies we found ourselves both in a funk and frustrated with a lot of things. We felt like we had lost the spirit and we couldn't figue out what we were doing wrong. It was a relief to discover we were on the same page, but also scary becase we didn't know what to change.

 

We knelt and prayed. And prayed. And prayed. HARD.

 

It became very clear that the spirit had not left, it was there, but we had let other things get in the way. We weren't being disobedient, but we were forgetting to look to God. 

 

We made a game plan, took it to the Lord, and put it into action. And then begged for miracles.

 

They came. They always do. We felt engulfed with the spirit the second we knelt down and asked God for help. It's been a miracle filled weekend and I am getting really excited for these next couple weeks as we continue to look to God and live. Try it! It's amazing what the Lord can do in our lives.

 

Love you!

Sister Mal

 

P.S. Dianne and Josie need your prayers :)

Fam--

 

Here's an extra little tidbit of craziness for your week:

 

Yesterday we get a call from President inviting us over for dinner.... yes. Sunday dinner at the Cusicks. We were freaking out thinking that we were being trapped or maybe there would be a nonmember there, and so we were trying to prepare ourselves the best we could! 

 

We show up. The APs show up. The four of us and the Cusicks sat and ate the most delicious meal ever. They just wanted to have us over for dinner. We sat and talked about the real world. I know I sound like an idiot... but it was CRAZY. And then President had us and the APs organize this new planning format for the whole mission. Living two miles from President definitely has it's advantages.... but it's SO crazy at the same time. We don't even know what normal life is like anymore.

 

Love ya lots!

Sister Mal

hand painting bought to you by the yw at the ward party this week... all the siser's hand

tampa 2 sisters!

the ward had a carnival auction party this week and a photo booth was a part of the fun

week 16

greetings fam and friends

all I can say is- amen logan. Skyping is weird. It's good, but weird.

anyways. here's just a random tidbit for your week.

Revelation 3: 15-16

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 

We've been talking about this scripture around here a lot lately. 

Make a decision, whether it is good or bad. Work hard, or don't. Be exactly obedient, or forget it. Do it or don't. Leave the gray area behind. Stop sitting on the fence. You're not doing any good when you're sitting on the fence. Satan owns the fence, and he wants us to sit on it all day.

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am the most lukewarm person, ever. I can't make a decision, ever. I often think of dad saying to me, "Just make a decision and live with the consequences whatever they may be". But I've always thought that sitting on the fence is safer than picking on side. 

WRONG SISTER SACKLEY.

So each day, as I write in my journal at night, I think about when I was hot, and then also the times where I was lukewarm, and I find ways to do better the next day. I'm working hard to stay off the fence, but it's a constant effort. Pick a side and learn from it each day with each decision you're given.

I'm getting better dad, but I think you would still have to say to me "Just decide!" One day, ONE DAY, I'll be able to decide before you can say it! I'm choosing to be hot. That sounds weird, but you understand :)

love you!

sister mal

Gator sighting!

We bought camping chairs-basically the only furniture we are allowed to have in the apartments. 

i spill everything all the time.

sister tawzer and i on exchanges in tampa 1 this week. we made crack muffins :) (ask sphen)

gator #3 sighting.

snappy the snaping turtle we met one day while biking.

these frogs are EVERYWHERE at night. they cover the sidewalks... they are HUGE.

week 15

Ron and Booker- last day in south Tampa. These men will get
baptized... One day!!

driving to transfers!! and a quick lunch at Taco Bus before I leave my two chikas!

New companions!

this is emma lewis. garrett's future wife. she was my WML's daughter. she's the best.

i almost biked over this little guy on my first day in wesley chapel... there are animals EVERYWHERE.

sister olson felt like we REALLY needed to take our bikes to the baptism on saturday.... we weren't sure why, but we are not about to doubt a prompting. we took them.... nothing happened, but we listen to the Lord. we think the bikes helped prevent something from happening... that's what we're rolling with.

HELLO FROM WESLEY CHAPEL!

 

well- first things first:

2410 Hillary Crest St. Apt 205

Wesley Chapel, FL  33544

:)

Companion: Sister Olson. 19. St. George. Cosmotologist. Patient with my psychoness.

 

This week consisted of: transfers, getting lost, the beach, getting lost, a baptism, and getting lost.

 

It's been a party!

 

We got here Wednesday afternoon and our areabook hadn't come through on the ipad yet... basically we were CLUELESS. We're laughing and praying a whole lot around here.

 

On Thursday we spent a good portion of the day planning fo the next week and trying to make calls and figure out where to even begin. I was feeling so insanely overwhelmed and stressed. And my thoughts went back to a conversation I had with President on the phone earlier this week before I was transfered. It went a little bit like this:

 

Me: Hello this is Sister Sackley!

President: Hello Sister Sackley, this is President Cusick! 

Me: Hi! How are you?

President: Good... good.... Sister Sackley...

Me: Yes?

President: Mallory?

Me: ....Yes??

President: Are you hapy?

Me: Yes President, I am.

President: Good. I want you to know you are needed in a new area. I know you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, but there is a new area that needs you. 

Me: I believe you.

President: I've promised you before, and I'll say it again, we are going to use you, but we won't break you. Okay?

Me: Okay. I trust you.

 

Everytime I feel stressed I say to myself, "We will use you but we won't break you". So in that moment, when I felt like I couldn't take it anymore, we decided to get out of the dang apartment and leave early for an appointment. Fresh air does you good.

 

We went to the appointment. It was a man named Hutch who needed just one more lesson before he could get baptized on Saturday. We taught him the lesson, stayed while the district leader did his interview, and then headed home. It wasn't until we were on the way home that I realized how much better I felt. We got out. We taught. We worked hard and suddenly everything felt right again. I knew that I wouldn't break.

 

"I have oten said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionay works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. Work, work, wok- there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work" -Ezra Taft Benson

 

We will work all week, even if we continue to get lost the entire time :) God is providing for us more than we could ever imagine. Every little thing is going to be alright.

 

I love you all!

Sister Mal